WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1994
THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES UNDER THE PHARMACY AND POTSONS ORDINANCE WERE REVISED UPWARDS IN 1992 TO A FINE OF $30,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR 12 MONTHS. OUR STATISTICS SHOW THAT THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN ANY PROPORTIONATE INCREASE IN THE PENALTIES IMPOSED ON OFFENDING MEDICINE RETAILERS. THIS DOES CONCERN US AND WE ARE PREPARED TO ASK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK A REVIEW OF SENTENCE WHERE APPROPRIATE. IN ADDITION, THE PHARMACY AND POTSONS BOARD HAS RECENTLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTY SHOULD BE FURTHER REVISED TO $100,000 AND 12 MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. THIS FECOMMENDATION IS BEING PURSUED BY THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH.
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AS REGARDS THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP, THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, ACAN, IS NON-STATUTORY BODY WHICH ADVISES THE GOVERNMENT ON ALL ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICY MATTERS AND STRATEGY. IT MONITORS DRUG ABUSE TRENDS, EXAMINES DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS AND ADVISES ON WAYS TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. THE MEMBERSHIP OF ACAN AND ITS SUB-COMMITTEES COMPRISES DISTINGUISHED AND EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY PERSONALITIES FROM THE FIELDS OF SOCIAL WORK, EDUCATION, MEDICINE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE; AS WELL AS RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
UNDER THE OVERALL STRATEGY TO REDUCE SUPPLY, BY VIGOROUS LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND ΤΟ LIMIT LEMAND, BY PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY, AND TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES, ACAN HAS GIVEN PARTICULAR EMPHASIS TO ADDRESSING THE INCREASING TREND IN DRUG ABUSE AMONG ADOLESCENTS. ACAN'S PREVENTIVE EDUCATION PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES SEEK TO PREVENT DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND AT RISK. ON THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF YOUNG ABUSERS, ACAN HAS SUPPORTED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNSELLING CENTRE FOR PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCE ABUSERS; AND MORE RECENTLY A PILOT PROJECT FOR A TREATMENT CENTRE SPECIFICALLY TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUNG
ABUSERS.
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WE BELIEVE THAT NO CAMPAIGN CAN HOPE TO SUCCEED WITHOUT BACKING OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, A CO-ORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTIVE EDUCATION PUBLICITY PROGRAMME, WITH CONSIDERABLE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, FORMS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR DEMAND REDUCTION EFFORTS. THE FOUR MAIN TYPES OF OUR ACTIVITIES ARE SCHOOL TALKS AND SEMINARS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROJECTS AND PROMOTIONS, EDUCATION PUBLICITY THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA, AND THE PRODUCTION OF MATERIALS FOR EDUCATION PUBLICITY.
DRUG EDUCATION 18 INTEGRATED INTO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. TEACHERS ARE ADVISED NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON SUBSTANCK ABUSE AND ITS EFFECTS, BUT ALSO TO GIVE EMPHASIS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY AND POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND THE LEARNING OF LIFE SKILLS, SUCH AS THE HANDLING OF PEER PRESSURF. THESE MESSAGES ARE REINFORCED IN REGULAR SCHOOL TALKS BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION IN ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND TO PRIMARY 6 STUDENTS.
EDUCATION ABOUT DRUGS S AN ON-GOING PROCESS, AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF BOTH THE SCHOOLS AND PARENTS IS NECESSARY. SEMINARS ARE ORGANISED FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS TO KEEP THEM BETTER INFORMED, SO THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE AND HELP STEER YOUNG PROPLE AWAY FROM DRUGS.
/YOUNG PEOPLE
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